Three meth suspects arrested by Longmont PD set for August trial

Three defendants arrested in the Longmont Police Department's Operation Bad Nickname methamphetamine bust are scheduled to stand trial in August.

More than 30 people were arrested in August after a six-month investigation into a methamphetamine-distribution ring based in Loveland that was selling the drug in Longmont and throughout northern Colorado, according to police.

Terry Romero, Geraldine Vodicka and Cherish Fortier are set for trial beginning Aug. 11 in Boulder District Judge Patrick Butler's courtroom. All three appeared in court Wednesday for pre-trial motions.

Another defendant, Richard Mora, 51, pleaded guilty Wednesday to violation of the Colorado organized crime control act, conspiracy to distribute between 25 and 450 grams of methamphetamine and second-degree assault. He was conspiring with at least five other people to sell methamphetamine between April 6, 2013, and Aug. 4, 2013, according to the charge he pleaded guilty to.

In exchange for the plea, Boulder County District Attorney's Office prosecutor Ken Kupfner dropped six other felony charges and agreed to limit Mora's sentence to between 5 and 20 years in prison. Had Mora gone to trial and been convicted, he could have faced 48 years in prison.

He is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 12.

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Mora previously asked the judge if he could fire his attorney, Beth Kelly. Before accepting the guilty plea, Butler questioned Mora about that request and if he was happy with Kelly's representation.

"I'm not satisfied with anything, but it is what it is," Mora replied in a deep voice that resonated through the courtroom.

When police served search warrants and began arresting suspects in early August, they recovered more than 5 pounds of methamphetamine, weapons and stolen vehicles, they said at the time.

Fortier (Courtesy of Longmont Police / Times-Call)

Romero, who is being held on $1 million bond, is accused of supplying meth to Michael Kaiser and his wife, Geraldine Vodicka — the Loveland couple at the center of the Operation Bad Nickname investigation. Vodicka is being held on $250,00 bond.

Kaiser, who was charged with 33 felonies, pleaded guilty on June 4 to racketeering and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 22.

Vodicka is facing 14 felony charges — two counts of racketeering and 12 counts of conspiracy — when she stands trial. She asked Butler on Wednesday for permission to fire her attorney, Amber St. Clair. The judge said he would issue a written ruling later this week.

Butler also is considering St. Clair's requests that prosecutors identify confidential informants police used during the investigation. St. Clair said she needed to interview those informants to defend Vodicka, whom she claimed was "drugged out 95 percent of the time."

"Was she Michael Kaiser's business partner or was she his lackey?" the defense attorney said. "At the very least, I should be able to go talk to these people."

Prosecutor Fred Johnson argued that releasing the information would put those informants' lives in danger. Prosecutors don't plan to call any of the confidential informants as witnesses in the trial, he said.

"There's no indication any of those (informants) have exculpatory evidence in this case," he said.

Vodicka (Courtesy of Longmont Police / Times-Call)

Telephone conversations recorded through wiretaps of five phone lines show that Vodicka was "very involved in these deals," Johnson said. When she was arrested, she had 3 pounds of methamphetamine with her, according to police.

The third defendant scheduled for trial is Cherish Fortier, who is charged with two counts of conspiracy. Free on bond, Fortier is accused of meeting Kaiser to arrange a sale of meth to Christine Spencer. Spencer pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

In June, Spencer was sentenced to two years' probation and one year of work release. The judge also sentenced her to eight years in prison, but suspended that sentence as long as she does not face more criminal charges.

Several other defendants charged in Operation Bad Nickname have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing:

• Josue Aurelia-Castaneda, who also is listed as Castaneda-Castenada, was held on $1 million bail. He pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 7.

• Servando Gandara pleaded guilty in May to distribution of a controlled substance and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 5.

• Ray Nieto was charged with 65 counts of racketeering, conspiracy, conspiracy to possess methamphetamine, possession of a weapon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute and was sentenced in May to 16 years in prison.